Kanagers:The Reunion part seven
by Rjartty
Summary: Part seven, They meet Devils and Rachel conflicts with her....


###### [PART SEVEN] I suggest reading the first parts, part seven is a continual for part six 

###### THE REUNION

## CHAPTER FOURTY

# _Julian _

"Max? are you listening to me? What is all this about? Cassie saying that the Yeerks now our cover?" Jake said.

Apparently, Max seemed uninterested. He seemed to be deep in thought. He also looked scared. Good then, that meant that the Yeerks knew about us. Very well, that's okay… Only, it isn't.

"Max? Hello? Anybody home?" Rachel said angrily, she was afraid, thus, she was angry. Thus, a word I'd never use. Then again, a lot of things happened to me. None that were the _ordinary._

"What did it mean anyway?" Cassie said loudly,

"What ?" I asked, not really interested. I lost interest in a lot of things lately. My life seems dull, boring, tedious. Something was missing. Something wild was missing.

"Well, there was this human, in the cage. And he was saying something."

"She." Max corrected.

"Whatever, like I'd notice if it was a he or a she." Cassie said, a little impatiently. That was strange, Cassie never was anything but patient. She was the girl with all the moral, the will to understand; to be patient, now that counts on the understanding part. If it does, then I'm not very understanding.

"She said; Would you open the door kind man," Cassie continued, "Then she stopped and said; Max, Max the Cat you were… Not better than the cat I was…"

That got my attention, that defiantly got my attention.

"_What?_" I yelped. "Are you sure that's what she said?"

"Positive. Hey, guys? What's up with you?" Cassie said, bewildered. "Salix, Guttani, Max, Jillian? You guys look like you've seen a ghost."

"No, not a ghost, more like Satin." Max muttered.

Cassie laughed nervously, "You guys are pulling my leg right?"

"No, I don't think we are." Guttani said.

"What? Who was that?" Marco said.

"Devils." Salix whispered.

"Who?" Tobias asked.

I stopped listening right then, my mind was frozen. It froze when Salix said her name, I tried ignoring it. The sadness all came back, the feeling of betrayal, the guilt. Why was she back? If she was why wasn't she here? Why did they have to tell me now? Why didn't they tell me after they brought her? It was torture to be hanging in suspense. The suspense, I hated it.

Sure, Devils never had really shown her love to me. No, it was something special. The rush of battle when you were fighting! Knowing that the person you loved was behind you. Us, helping each other. Devils and me. We both loved the adrenaline rush of battle. I was the toughest in the group. In ways of battle. But Devils was the mistress of survival. I had lived all my life getting all the attention I needed from girls. Sure, but it was kind o cheap. A you-call-they-run kind of thing was always happening to me. I got bored. Getting all I want.

And then I met her. I will always remember what happened. She changed me. She doesn't come when you call. No, it was very rare for her to do that. Devils was beautiful. She was exotic. She was wild. Just the kind of thing I needed for my thirsty love for danger. I loved danger, I liked to cheat death. Devils was… dark… mysterious… distinctive. She was the kind of person you'd see in the dark corner of our world. In the depth, the shadows… She'd sit there, as silent as a cat, watching. With a mystifying atmosphere, see, I loved Devils because I feared her. Strange right? See Devils can be my dreams. Also she could be my darkest nightmare. Mostly, she scares me because of her unbelievingly patient and silent nature. Devils was very patient. Also. She had this reputation of being silent.

That's what scares me most, see, when people are outgoing and expresse themselves a lot, you get to know them, understand them. But a girl like Devils? She was the unknown, the unpredictable. Devils is the only person I've every met that can turn from North to South in zero seconds. She starts with point A ad suddenly she's talking about point Z. She's abnormal. She's always silent. The only time she speaks is when she is giving orders.

If I were a prince then Devils would be the war-princess. Mostly, she'd tell me what we should do; I'd have to make it happen. Then in the heat of the battle… She takes over. Very weird. Gives me the feeling that I do nothing.

When we walk together through the African planes. Devils would be walking with us. Silent. Just there. The silent member. That's why I called her Cat, she was silent, mysterious and there was this was she walked… Graceful, strong and confident… Like she owned the whole world.

And she'd be pierced back into my life.

Placed back into my life… Like the last piece of a puzzle falling into place.

Complete, my life would be…. Complete.

### CHAPTER FOURTY-ONE

#### Salix 

"We're going to get her?" Guttani asked, after explaining who was Devils.

"You're even asking?" Julian snapped, "Of course we are!"

It felt wrong, Devils was long dead. Why bring her back? It was hard to accept she was gone. It would be harder to reaccept her. Also, knowing Devils and her motives… We'd be going back to Africa. And we didn't want that… with the exception of Julian.

I don't think we would have that kind of choice. Not with Julian around.

Okay, I'll take that back. It was kind of _fun_ to be around someone who had no line drawn. Someone who would do the unexpected. But I know that we'd have problems with Rachel. Devils gives no room for people like Rachel. If Devils was around, no one apposes her. I don't think Rachel would shut up. No, she wouldn't. And I'm afraid of the output.

"Fine, we plane. Did you hear that Julian? We _plan _what we have to do, agreed?"

"Whatever." He said.

I sighed.

"Okay. Here's what we do." With that I explained my plan.

It was pretty simple and brutal.

Get Devils. Ignore the Yeerk's commotion. Just grab and run.

I should have known better.

Nothing like this will ever succeed.

Something was going to happen.

### CHAPTER FOURTY-TWO

**_Ax _**

Do you think they'd get us? Julia asked.

I don't know, Julia I replied.

Do me a favor. She said suddenly.

What is it? I asked her.

Never call me that in front of them. 

What? Why? 

Just don't, call me Devils. Forget that I told you to call me Julia. 

Okay, if that's what you want. 

She was in her cage, the next day. We were waiting for the Visser. Actually, we had no choice.

Two Hork-Bajir came and stood in front of the cage. One of them turned around to see, curiously, who was inside. It grabbed the bars and squinted. Hork-Bajir can't see very well in the dark. And the cage did specify as dark.

The other Hork-Bajir, the one on guard, half shoved him.

"What do you think you're doing?" It hissed.

"Devils? Is that you in there?" Asked the other Hork-Bajir.

What?

That must be our ride home. Devils said.

Speak to them, I urged.

"Guttani?" She guessed.

"Sure is," She replied, using Hork-Bajir mouthparts.

You humans are ready? Asked a thought speak voice.

Dagmar! It was a long time since I heard her thought speak. The rest must be hiding somewhere.

Ready and waiting. Marco said. He was the other Hork-Bajir.

Okay, Prince Jake says "do it". Dagmar reported.

I bet Rachel said lets go for it. Marco muttered.

He turned and started fiddling with the lock. Out of the corner of her eye I saw a group of ten Hork-Bajir advancing with the Visser in the middle, I think he was being cautious, with my people here, he should be.

Devils gave no warning; she did not tell them that the Visser was heading our way!

What are you doing? I yelled.

She gave no reply.

The lock opened.

Guttani reached to open the door then…

What do you think you are doing? The Visser roared.

Oh, shit! Marco said.

There was an uproar as my hidden friends showed themselves and fought.

All of them were fighting, and for a moment. No one noticed what Devils did. No one.

No one noticed her as she stole out of her cage and out of the Yeerk pool, no one, yet she did not tell them. Why was she doing this? Why doesn't she call them off?

### CHAPTER FOURTY-THREE

**_Dagmar_**

I am an Andalite female, and, I am fighting.

The more Yeerks I killed the more Yeerks would come up and fill up there places. The situation was impossible!

Retreat! Prince Jake yelled, he had grown to be more cautious, he needed no more dead warriors.

What? No way! Not without Devils! Julian yelled.

He seemed to be obsessed with this human, she was a female. I could only guess why she was the object of his obsession.

Then go get her. I suggested.

Yes! Excellent idea. He replied sarcastically.

He had morphed the creature called a 'Silver back Gorilla' It is very similar to humans. But different in a couple of ways.

He went to the cage opened the door and looked inside.

Lets go! He yelled.

You got her? Prince Jake asked.

Go! Go! Go! He yelled.

We finally retreated and once outside and when all of them had demorphed. With the exception of me. He looked at us.

"She's not there."

"But we… we talked to her!" Guttani said.

"Yeah, I think she went out. I remember seeing you unlock the cage but not opening it, maybe she left."

"And didn't tell us?" Salix said skeptically.

I wasn't the one who noticed, it was Tobias.

He was looking in the tree's in the shadowy undergrowth, something stirred. I ignored it. It was a good thing that Tobias didn't.

"AX?!"He screamed.

And then, stepping boldly out of the bushes, very sure of himself was the very _Aristh _that I lost. Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill.

Aximili? I whispered. Feeling awed.

But he died! It couldn't be… but there he was. Standing in front of me. Alive.

"Ax? Huh, but aren't you supposed to be dead?" Marco asked stupidly.

"Ax? Is that you?" Prince Jake asked.

I half expected the Andalite in front of me to say no.

Yes, Prince Jake. He replied.

"I've been waiting ages to hear that!" He said laughing, we all rushed over. I noticed Tobias staying back.

"What happened?"

"Where've you been?"

"What did you do walk out of your grave?" Marco of course.

Well, all most. 

We all stared at him, then broke up laughing.

**CAHPTER FOURT-FOUR **

**_Ax _**

I told them lies. I made up a story. Devils had warned me on telling them the truth. She also told me to lure them into coming to Africa. Tell them that the Andalites are waiting there. Of course them were not waiting there. The Andalites that came where a small task force, the main fleet were going to come within a month. Sadly, this little task force was destroyed.

It was later that night, when I went back to my scoop, I found Tobias there. He was in his human form. It was then I realized that he had spoken no word to me. I looked at him.

Tobias? Are you all right? I asked, he seemed disturbed, upset.

"I don't know…" He said, looking up at me. He was sitting on the ground.

He tried to speak but no words came out of his mouth, then he made this helpless gesture and put his head in his hands.

What is it? I said, concerned.

He started crying. It was strange. I never heard Tobias cry, not in his human form.

I stood next to him, and put my hand gently on his back; knowing that humans responded to touch.

What's wrong? I asked him.

"I don't know Ax… It's…" He broke off and then said, "God! I thought you were dead… I thought I'd never see you again."

He closed his eyes and leaned against me.

I'm back now. Aren't I? I told him.

"I don't know," He repeated for the third time, he seemed to have difficulty in explaining himself. "I'm… afraid to loose you again, you understand what I'm saying?"

Yes, I do. He seemed satisfied with that. Sometimes, I wondered why humans evolved to be emotional for all the predators that… Wait! Tobias? Emotional?

Tobias… He looked at me strangely,

"Yeah, Ax, I did it. I stayed in human morph for more than two hours." He said, smiling.

But doesn't that mean…? I said, unsure.

"No, I can still morph." He said.

But- I started to say.

"The Ellimist gave me a chance to reconsider. This time I was certain of what I wanted."

And it was? I asked him.

"Both, fighting the war and," He looked up at me,

Rachel? I ended for him.

He smiled and nodded. I smiled back.

"There was only one solution that satisfied both."

### CHAPTER FOURTY-FIVE

##### Jake

We were gathered in Cassie's barn. All of the Animorphs were here. I felt happy. And what I was told next made me happier.

Prince Jake? Ax said.

"Don't call me 'Prince'." I said with a grin.

I heard that the Andalites have come. 

We all froze.

"That's great!" Cassie said.

"Whoa, I thought these guys weren't goanna come at all!" Marco exclaimed.

"So?" Rachel said, unimpressed.

"So? So? SO!?" Cassie said in disbelief, "We finally get someone to fight on our side, someone who would make a difference!"

"So that is an excuse for us to just forget about the war, sit back and relax, and wait for someone else do the fighting? What are you? Out of your mind?" Rachel said.

"No, I'm inside my mind." Cassie joked, still felling giddy.

To tell you the truth so was I. Know there would be some other person to take off the burden on my back. I was glad. I was happy. But as my cousin said, we still are going to fight. I can't 'relax' while other people are dieing at fight our war.

"Cool, so where are they?" Salix said.

"In Africa." Said a voice. A voice that spoke of menace.

Julian spun around. "Devils?"

What! Hey! Tobias yelped, Where did you come from!? 

A figure was standing in the shadows. Within the shadow I saw a arm extend to point at us. I still couldn't see clearly. It was dark in the shadows.

"Africa," Repeated the voice, "Be there."

It turned around went out of the barn and disappeared in the forest.

"DEVILS!" Julian screamed, he ran outside. To try and catch up with the figure. By the time we were out she was nowhere to be seen.

"So what?" Rachel said, "We go to Africa? The Andalites are there. Waiting."

"We can't!" Cassie said, "What about our parents?"

"The Chee," Marco said, "They owe us."

I nodded "Good idea."

"So what? The Chee put up a hologram version of ourselves?" Cassie said, unsure.

"Cassie, look on the bright side, no homework! And no school!" Marco cried happily, "Man, this is the first time in my life I actually _don't_ regret this war, no school!"

Rachel, Cassie, Tobias and I stared at Marco like he was crazy.

"Okay forget I said that." Marco said.

"You guys are forgetting something." Tobias said,

"What?" Max asked.

"How do we get there?" He said.

We all looked at each other.

### CHAPTER FOURTY-SIX

##### Cassie

We were in the air-port. We decided we'd go in with the luggage. That way. We can morph and demorph all we like. We'll have our own privacy.

"How long is the flight?" Rachel asked. "I'm already bored."

We were in the plane. All sitting crossed legged and Ax and Dagmar had morphed to human.

"The flight? From America to North Africa?" Marco said, "Uhh, about sixteen hours."

"Sixteen!" Rachel shrieked.

"Hey! No refreshments?" Tobias tried to joke.

"Uhuh, what'll they give you? Mouse meat Pizza?" Marco teased.

"I'm past that. Pepperoni would be an attractive offer." Tobias said.

I was sitting near Jake, I put my head against his shoulders.

"You okay?" Jake asked.

"Yeah, for know." I said.

"Don't think about that, think about the sixteen hours of rest we have." Jake said.

"Of rest?" Max said, "What would we do with sixteen hours?"

"Why don't you tell us about your place back in Africa?" I suggested.

"So, you want to know what kind of home we would live in while we fight the Yeerks?" Max asked.

"Yeah, why not?" Rachel said excited by the idea, "Hope there is a shopping Mall."

"Shopping mall? In _Africa_?" Max said.

"You mean…?" Rachel said, going pale.

"But there's another kind of Mall." Salix said darkly.

"What kind?" Rachel asked, looking interested.

"Not exactly a Mall, t'is a Market place," Salix said, she leaned closer and whispered, "A Black Market. And you wouldn't _guess _what kind of things they sell! I've been there once and never will go there twice-"

"Salix shut up," Gutanni said, good natured, "I wouldn't advice your hearing what she says."

"So you're calling me a liar?" Salix demanded.

"How about knowing where we are going to stay?" I suggested. Trying to break the fight caused by the two girls. Strangely. Rachel never really argues with Salix or Guttani. They go with each other just fine. So we had no problem in that point… But Salix and Guttani? It was like Rachel and Marco. Only worse. You got two girls who are always right, and the other is always lying.

"Well, we'll be staying in…" Max looked unsure for a moment.

"Yeah," Julian said dryly. "Devil's home."

"What's it like?" Tobias asked.

"A castle. A big palace actually, with big gardens and a big zoo near it. Actually it's not a zoo, it's just a place where Devils keeps the animals. Wild and Domestic." Julian said.

"Wild?" Cassie said looking horrified.

"Yeah, wild animals that have no home. In Africa, there is a lot of poaching. And naturally, the cubs or the young of the predators or prey that are shot are left to fend for themselves. Devils set up a home for them. Only, half of them get used to the life Devils gives them. So, she has to take care of them. See? If she doesn't help them in the first place they'll never reach adult-hood. The _Bustan_ is a home for preditors that are raised in a human world then left to fend for themselves. Inside the _Bustan_ you'll see big cats with pasts full of abuse."

I was mesmerized by his words. Mostly it was what he was saying. A heaven for animals?Place where unwanted animals are taken care of? This Devils must really care about the wild life and have the… will. To do something. I like what she does.

"What else does she do there?" I asked.

"Well, like in your barn. Injured animals are treated. Also. The ones which have been domesticated are left for Devils to train. She trains them to attack _any_ unknown animal. In other words any Aliens. Also, she learnt to call them off, so they don't run around out of control. That was our strategy for some time. Release a number of wild animals then let Devils call them off. Nothing really happens to them since they are all predators. The best thing is, the Yeerks were never able to locate the location of this base. The Kanagers base. Which will soon be joined with the Animorphs." Julian continued.

"That's all fine, but what about Her family, we can't just stumble in!" Jake commented.

There was a silence from the remaining members of the Kanagers. A deadly silence.

"What?" Jake wondered, "Did say something wrong?"

"No one knows where Devils family is…it's sad... really. When you walk round the house you'd see pictures of her family, painted portraits. And then you'd realize what a big family Devils used to have. She's not African, you could tell that from her looks. No she probably comes from higher up in Asia. But… The palace seems weird. Too silent. I don't know. But when you walk through it you feel like there should be a din, something at least, anything. But there isn't. No wonder Devils barley goes in there!" Julian

"Is that her real name? Devils?" I asked quietly.

"No, she never told us her name. It's strange the way we met her." Julian said. He seemed like the only one willing to say anything about her so I listened.

= = = == = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

_After the strangely weird being that called himself Crayak brought the whole group together I looked at all the boys, there was Max, Felix and me, Max and Felix where buddies. I was the popular **guy** at school, so they knew me better than I knew them. Then I started to check out the girls. There was Guttani and Salix. These two were also friends. I knew Guttani since she was my cousin. And I vaguely remember Salix, yeah. She was that girl in school that was always shoving herself right into trouble. If troubles there count on Salix to be there too. Guttani is no better. Then there was… What have we got here? _

_"Hey," I said, me being my smug arrogant self, "Who are you?" _

_She looked at me with solemn eyes. Eyes that seemed to cut right through me, no girl had ever looked at me this way, usually; they'd be running behind me with puppy eyes. Yep, I had that kind of publicity, and a **big** ego to go with it. _

_She never answered me. She stared silently at us. _

_"Hey, come on. Your goanna just stand and stare at us?" Felix had asked. _

_"Oh god!" Salix said, "Look at her hands!" _

_We did, they were bloody, not bleeding. Bloody. The blood of another creature on her hands. We never asked who's blood was it. _

_"Man, that girl's a Demon." Max said, laughing. _

_"Yeah, we got a Devil on our side. This isn't so bad. Someone tough to fight the war with the enemy." _

_The girl looked at us, her mouth curved in a… disturbing smile… _

"Devils." She whispered. In a voice that sent metal spears lacing through my heart, my heart melted as I looked at her.

_"Devils." She said, testing out the name. She smiled again. _

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

_ _

__"That was weird." Marco said at last, breaking the silence.

Ax seemed to look, well I don't know, he was back in his Andalite form and I couldn't tell the impression on his face.

"So," Rachel asked, "Basically, I have no clothes now?"

"Rachel," Salix said wit a sigh, "Devils room is full of things to wear, so is my room and Guttani's. You and Cassie can choose whatever you want."

"What about us guys?" Marco said.

"Beeves is worried about what he should wear? That's a first." Rachel laughed, "And the last."

"What's wrong with Beeves?" Marco said, then quickly added, "Not that I dress like him or anything."

"Marco you are Beeves." Rachel muttered. "That should be a complement to you, not an insult. Note that I said; _to you_."

"Hey!" Marco said loudly.

"Julian and Max have a wardrobe." Salix said, then she looked worried, "Hopefully."

"Hey, you were talking about Julian the soccer star, he has more than one wardrobe. Yep, the official sucker star." Max said.

Julian threw a baggage at Max who started laughing. And glared at the laughing Marco.

"Hey one point for Max."

"You guys are driving me nuts." Jake said.

We have Thirty minutes remaining. Dagmar said.

"Just thirty?" Jake said with a groan. "Thirty minutes of Marco. God help me."

"Hey!" Marco objected.

"Sorry, I was just bored." Jake replied.

"What I'm not keeping you entertained, fine. I can help!" Marco grinned evilly, "How about a blonde joke?"

"Marco." Rachel warned.

"Yeah watch it!" Tobias said.

"Marco." Julian growled.

All three were presently blonde. Rachel was a blonde, Tobias had dirty blonde hair and Julian was snow-white.

"There was a brunet a redhead and a blonde all stranded on an island." Marco said, ignoring the three.

"Go Marco! Go!" Max cheered, he is a Hispanic. Marco was thrilled with all the attention.

"The brunet decides to swim across the sea separating her from another bigger island, the bigger one was a lot more resourceful than the one they were on, and the distance she had to cross was twenty kilometer. So the brunet says 'I'm strong! I'll be able to swim across all twenty!' so she jumps in, swims quarter of the way, gets tired and drowns. The redhead says that she is 'stronger' and can make it through. She jumps in and swims half the way, she gets tired and drowns. Now the blonde. She jumps in and swims nineteen kilometers of the way and-"

"Haha!" Ax said, "That's very funny Marco! Tell me aother one!"

"I didn't reach the punch line yet Ax, when I do you can laugh all you like."

"Sorry, orry." He said.

"Marco!" Rachel hissed.

"She swims nineteen kilometers of the way, gets tired. Figures she can't make it, so she swims all the way back!"

Ax looked at Marco, "Where's the punch line? No one was punched."

"Oh GOD!" Marco slapped his forehead and threw himself backwards.

We all laughed.

We felt serve vibrations translate through the plane.

"It must be landing. Every one, quick, morph to flies!"

**CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN**

**_Dagmar _**

The eerie shattered vision I was receiving was bizarre, but to the fly's brain, it was home. A fly is an insect, a very simple organism. It belonged to the Animal Kingdom, an invertebrate. It was from the _Arthropod phylum_, a characteristic for all _arthropods_ were jointed legs, segmented bodies and an exoskeleton. The _Arthropod phylum_ had four classes; _crustaceans_, _myriapods_, _arachnids _and _insects_. The fly would be an insect, the characteristics of an insect that comes from earth is; three body parts, three pairs of legs, one pair of antennae, Compound eyes, a waxy skeleton and wings would be often present.

My mother is a biologist; I am very close to her and am interested with biology. But I chose the military. Ambition I suppose. And I think I was starting to live up to it. Never had a female Andalite took a big part in Andalite military service. Maybe I would become the first _Princess._ Maybe I can make the _War-Princess_ title.

We have to demorph now, these houseflies are not exactly excellent in this kind of place, they are prey. Salix said.

So we demorphed and walked across the African planes, despite the heat, I was over whelmed with the size of open space! Sadly, the grass was no-where near green; it was a dead yellow and brown. The human home world and my home world will always have their differences. The area I was walking across looked like a very poor state, _if_ it had an owner, it would have been a great embarrassment for the owner.

"It hot!" Marco said, in a tone a recognized as whining,

"Here we go." Julian groaned.

We walked for some time. Stopping in the shade every now and then, I was getting very thirsty,

"Okay, that's it. We can't go any further. We ran out of time." Julian announced.

"What? How can we run out of time? We have all the time in the world!" Rachel said.

"Rachel shut up, that was our invitation to rest!" Marco protested.

"It's goanna get dark. We stop here and we stop _now._" Julian said.

"What you're afraid of the dark?" Jake asked.

"Yes, but mostly, what comes out with it." Guttani said.

"We'll have to fine a cave to sleep in." Salix said, "Hey guys? Isn't this one of the places near Devils territory? I think we are standing on hunting grounds that belong to a pride of lions. We better watch ourselves."

"Which pride?" Max said suspiciously.

"Emm, the marsh lions." Guttani said, and then she screwed her face against the sun, "I think. I'm not exactly Devils, she's the only one who keeps track of those kind of things."

"Remember what Devils said," Julian reminded, "Lions aren't the problem, leopards are."

"Not exactly a part to walk through a savanna, huh?" Rachel asked.

Cassie was occupied with the surroundings. As Marco would say "big surprise." Cassie is known as a tree hugger. I still didn't see her 'hug' any trees, so I don't really understand what it means.

We took shelter in one of the caves. With Aximili and me going out constantly; I hate to be confined, it makes me uncomfortable.

"Stop it you two! You are driving me nuts! Look! It's too dark to go outside! What can you see there anyway, it'll be like staying inside here! Only we got fire." Guttani exclaimed.

"Which I still think as a not so good idea." Salix grumbled.

"What?" Marco asked.

"The fire, it's a major attracting for the dreaded leopard." Salix replied.

Marco gulped.

"But today you wouldn't be meeting a leopard, nor a tiger, nor a lion. You'll be meeting me." We all looked at each other, no one had spoken.

With that I saw a human enter the cave.

It's a Yeerk! A controller! I yelled.

I snapped me tail blade to the humans throat but… What the? Where did it go?

We all heard a drawled out laugh.

"None of you changed," The voice said, "Still the stupid, backwards and unaware idiots you are. You're a too easy a meal for a cat. Too easy. I'm surprised you got this far."

The voice was jeering! At us! At me! I felt anger boil through me. I am going to make this meddlesome human hold back its simplistic mouthparts for good.

"Devils." Julian said.

"Who else would be venturing in the depth of the wild late at night?" The voice said coolly.

I had a feeling that this human female was strong. She had proved this in her manner of speaking and her moves if only…

She stepped into our view. We got a good look at her.

All I could say was that she was nothing like I had expected. Nothing.

**CHAPTER FOURTY-SEVEN**

**_Julian _**

My mouth dropped open. When I heard her voice I was sure it was her. The way she speaks had proven it too. No one can mistake Devils for someone else. She gives you the feeling that she rules over you, that you are insignificant. Her looksand solid posture completes it but know…

I was looking at a girl my age. She had grown taller, her hair was longer but not long enough, I mean not as long as Rachel's beautiful hair -yeah I'll admit it- it was shorter than shoulder length. The same hair cut, basically, with two locks of hair longer than the rest; those had grown to a bit more than shoulder length.

Her skin that used to have this healthy golden tan was… a dead, pale white, so white that it made her look dead. Her blood red lips looked strange with her very… white complexion.

The girl whom I had known as strong and fit was thin –she looked slightly starved and weak. The way she posed and stood had not changed…

There was a wound that ran down her left eye and deep down her throat. At the bend of her left arm, the skin was black and blue, I frowned. How did she get that?

But her eyes… her eyes never changed. Not a bit. Nothing in her eyes had changed. When I looked into her eyes, I saw Devils.

If I wanted to see Devils, the girl I knew, I would have to shut out her physical form, concentrate on her behavior and, look deep into her golden eyes.

"Devils you…." Guttani said, confused, "You changed."

"And doesn't everybody?" She replied airily. Looking at her best friend.

She was doing it again! Creating an awkward atmosphere, making us squirm beneath it, try as we might, we never were able to make life more comfortable with her, even if we talked and had fun, while Devils was behind us… It was awkward. The way she answers a question puts us at the end of a conversation. I hate her for that, why is she difficult? Why wouldn't she be outgoing? Like all the other girls I met?

Then it hit me, it hit me so hard that I felt sharp pain enter my heart, as if someone had stabbed me.

It was gone, all of it. The love, she used to, well, like me, there was this thing going on that I never understood, all I knew from it was that it was very fragile and if I had wanted it to continue it should be taken at ease. But the girl herself was weird. I mean, one day she'd take the slow approach the hidden approach then the other… well, wild.

All of that was gone, I also felt it, the love that was in me… it had gone, it simply did not exist. I could never look at her like the way I used to, never. And that hurt, that hurt a lot, to see this part die away, to let go when you don't want to. It was because of the Yeerks, I thought angrily, because of them I had lost someone very dear to me.

Then like some insane routine, or ritual. We did, what e had to do. By simply seeing her we accepted the lives we used to live, the lives that we had ran away from. From that moment on, I knew, I knew that my life would be of death, pain, hurt and hardship.

Devils was gong to be a lot nastier than she used to be. And my friends the Kanagers will have no Julian to turn to. No Julian that would hue Devils cold hatred of the world, in the past it was possible, now looking at her, it was going to be the impossible.

**CHAPTER FOURTY-EIGHT **

**_Rachel _**

She was intimidating; from the moment my eyes set on her I hated her. You know? When you meet someone and have this violent urge? This feeling that you know you will never like them, never accept them? Well, I felt that way about the girl Devils. I took one look and her and decided that I can't stand her.

Even though she looked weak, there was something about her that struck you, the solid expression on her face, emotionless. No understanding shone through her eyes, she looked at you like you were an animal. I hated that. I hated people thinking that they were better than me.

Only one thing scared me, it was her eyes. This girl had absolutely no line in front of her, she had crossed every single line and was not afraid to show it. It was sickening. It was evil and I was not going to clamp up about.

At the mean time, I tried to look as unimpressed as I could, first thing I did was automatically snort. She did not react to it, she ignored it. Ignored me. Anger bubbled up inside me. I wanted to slap her face and scream "Wake up! You look like the walking dead!" If she didn't look like the walking dead, she –I realized- would be beautiful. But not better then me. There was no way in hell that I was going to borrow any clothes from this girl. I had better options. Hopefully.

The girl Devils looked at my cousin Jake and said, "You're the boss around?" in this very indifferent way.

Jake looked up startled, and I almost slapped my head, "Yeah, he is. You got a problem with that?" I snapped.

She did not so much as turn to me, "You're he boss around?" She repeated. I glared at her. Is she deaf or what. I opened my mouth to speak.

"Emm, I'm the unofficial leader. Not exactly boss." He said.

My cousin really doesn't know how to approach bossy girls. Doesn't he understand that the 'stuttering' approach never works? Sometimes I wonder about his _normal_ capabilities. Jake can face life and death every day but girls were still a mystery to him.

And looking at Marco… Well, he looked like he wouldn't be able to speak, not even to save his life. Boys, they're all the same. All morons.

"No, he is our leader." I said forcefully. I glared at Jake who opened his mouth to protest.

"Very well then," She replied, smiling at me. "Better move on."

"Devils we're kind of tiered, can't we rest?" Guttani asked.

"I got a few horses outside, come on, time's a wasting." She said ignoring her.

Guttani looked hurt, I remembered Julian saying that Devils and Guttani were best friends. Julian was Guttani's cousin.

We went outside, me resentful, but I had no choice. No one was going to stay behind, and I sure wasn't.

I rode on a powerful mare, she was a chocolate brown in color, I failed to recognize the breed, I am after all helpless in this area. My best friend Cassie is a lot better. I was on a horse and Marco, Jake, Tobias, and I managed to look like dorkes on a horse. I had zilch experience. Cassie knew how to ride, so did the others. I realized that Jake wasn't exactly the dork I was in ridding, okay, he looks like a dork but at least he's not looking like the dweeb I was. Basically, Tobias and I were total morons in horse ridding. It scared me, slightly to have to depend and trust in something else.

We rode with the aid of the moonlight. Ax and Dagmar walked together near to the front. Tobias and I were at the rear, so, we had the privacy to talk. Without Marco's prying eyes and ears to bother us.

"So what do you make of her?" Tobias whispered.

"She's… annoying." I replied.

He laughed softly, and I glared at him.

"Sorry," he giggled.

"What's so funny?" I asked him.

"It's just when you're mad, it makes me… giddy." He replied, his grin visible by the moonlight.

I was happy for him, he got another chance to reconsider his choices. Know, I could have him and fight alongside him at the same time. As a human, not a bird.

"What's wrong?" He asked me.

"It's good to have Tobias." I whispered, leaning closer to him.

"So? It's disappointing? You liked my feathers better? Sorry if I'm creeping you out with my looks." He joked,

I laughed, Tobias started hanging round with Marco, some part of Marco was in Tobias, that's not exactly it, sometimes I feel that deep down, inside Tobias, was this kid that never found the chance to like something, and have it like him back. But Tobias was Tobias; he was unique in his own way. And I liked that about him.

"Nah, maybe I liked that Swanson Hawk better. Jealous?" I said, and both of us laughed.

It was good to look inside Tobias's eyes and see something human, because for a long time, I never did. And it had cared me. Now he was normal. Or, as normal as normal is supposed to be.

We reached a cave. And Devils stopped us. We went in and hit the floor snoring, literally. We were that tired. All of us slept while two kept on watch. I noticed that Devils did not sleep at all, in fact she went outside.

After sleeping I woke up and told Salix I had to… em, go for a walk. I went for a walk and did what I had to do, as I neared to the cave entrance I saw Devils walking further into the undergrowth. I trotted after her, curious. Mostly I wanted to talk to her. I caught her looking at Tobias in a way I never like at all.

I followed her for some time and suddenly… She disappeared. Huh? Where did she go? I-

I was shoved roughly to the grown and found myself staring at her, right in the eye.

"Why are you following me?" She snarled.

I saw something there that shook me, slightly, but I pushed it away. I shoved her off me.

I stood up facing her. "I don't like the way you looked at my friend back there."

"I do as I like." Came the reply.

"Not while I'm here!" And from far off, in my consciousness I heard thunder and saw lightening. I was getting wet. It was raining.

But all that was irrelevant, I was mad at her. The way she talked, her attitude. I couldn't stand it. Within minutes I was seething!

We circled each other, and squared up for a fight….

______________________________________________________________

So what do you think? I'm going to include the Andalites in part eight of the story, I think that the next two parts of the story are going to be intersesting. I still didn't decide, would they win the war bettween the Yeerks or loose? And in this little fight between Devils and Rachel, who should win? Which one of them do you want to see win? -keep in mind that Devils used to be very strong and know since she is alomst addicted to drugs she's weaker; so maybe the fight was started. And keep in mind that Rachel doesn't know how to fight in a human body, sure, she wins in battles but never foght in her human body(which is opposite to Devils) -If you want anything special to happen I'm open for suggestions. If you want to see anything speacial happen e-mail me at [rj_artty@yahoo.com][1]. 

   [1]: mailto:rj_artty@yahoo.com



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